By: Coleman H.B. No. 2977
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
 
  relating to counties and certain other political subdivisions;
  authorizing fees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.712 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.712.  ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR CIVIL CASES IN
  KAUFMAN COUNTY. (a) This section applies only to district courts,
  statutory probate courts, county courts at law, and justice courts
  in Kaufman County.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by this section and in
  addition to all other fees authorized or required by other law, the
  clerk of a court shall collect a filing fee of not more than $15 in
  each civil case filed in the court to be used for the construction,
  renovation, or improvement of the facilities that house the Kaufman
  courts collecting the fee.
         (c)  Court fees due under this section shall be collected in
  the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the
  case.
         (d)  The clerk shall send the fees collected under this
  section to the county treasurer or to any other official who
  discharges the duties commonly assigned to the county treasurer at
  least as frequently as monthly. The treasurer or other official
  shall deposit the fees in a special account in the county treasury
  dedicated to the construction, renovation, or improvement of the
  facilities that house the courts collecting the fee.
         (e)  This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period
  beginning July 1, if the commissioners court:
               (1)  adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of not more
  than $15; and
               (2)  files the resolution with the county treasurer or
  with any other official who discharges the duties commonly assigned
  to the county treasurer not later than June 1 immediately preceding
  the first 12-month period during which the fees are to be collected.
         (f)  A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues
  from year to year until July 1, 2030, allowing the county to collect
  fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is
  rescinded.
         (g)  The commissioners court may rescind a resolution
  adopted under Subsection (e) by adopting a resolution rescinding
  the resolution and submitting the rescission resolution to the
  county treasurer or to any other official who discharges the duties
  commonly assigned to the county treasurer not later than June 1
  preceding the beginning of the first day of the county fiscal year.
  The commissioners court may adopt an additional resolution in the
  manner provided by Subsection (e) after rescinding a previous
  resolution under that subsection.
         (h)  A fee established under a particular resolution is
  abolished on the earlier of:
               (1)  the date a resolution adopted under Subsection (e)
  is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or
               (2)  July 1, 2030.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.061193 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.061193.  ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES FOR COURT
  FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a district court in
  Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
  than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to
  fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter E, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.081196 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.081196.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES FOR
  COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county
  court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of
  not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil
  cases to fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter F, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.101191 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.101191.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES
  FOR COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory
  probate court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing
  fee of not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in
  civil cases to fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of
  court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter H, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.143 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.143.  ADDITIONAL JUSTICE COURT FEE FOR COURT
  FACILITIES COLLECTED BY CLERK. The clerk of a justice court in
  Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
  than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to
  fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
         SECTION 6.  Section 1001.201, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2013, is amended by adding Subdivisions (4) and
  (5) to read as follows:
               (4)  "School district employee" means a principal,
  assistant principal, educator, teacher's aide, counselor, nurse,
  or school bus driver employed by a school district.
               (5)  "School resource officer" has the meaning assigned
  by Section 1701.601, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 1001.203(a) and (c), Health and Safety
  Code, as added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  To the extent funds are appropriated to the department
  for that purpose, the department shall make grants to local mental
  health authorities to provide an approved mental health first aid
  training program, administered by mental health first aid trainers,
  at no cost to school district employees and school resource
  officers [educators].
         (c)  Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (b), out of
  the funds appropriated to the department for making grants under
  this section, the department shall grant $100 to a local mental
  health authority for each school district employee or school
  resource officer [educator] who successfully completes a mental
  health first aid training program provided by the authority under
  this section.
         SECTION 8.  Section 1001.205, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.205.  REPORTS. (a)  Not later than August 31
  [July 1] of each year, a local mental health authority shall provide
  to the department the number of:
               (1)  employees and contractors of the authority who
  were trained as mental health first aid trainers under Section
  1001.202 during the preceding calendar year;
               (2)  educators, school district employees other than
  educators, and school resource officers who completed a mental
  health first aid training program offered by the authority under
  Section 1001.203 during the preceding calendar year; and
               (3)  individuals who are not school district employees
  or school resource officers [educators] who completed a mental
  health first aid training program offered by the authority during
  the preceding calendar year.
         (b)  Not later than September 30 [August 1] of each year, the
  department shall compile the information submitted by local mental
  health authorities as required by Subsection (a) and submit a
  report to the legislature containing the number of:
               (1)  authority employees and contractors trained as
  mental health first aid trainers during the preceding calendar
  year;
               (2)  educators, school district employees other than
  educators, and school resource officers who completed a mental
  health first aid training program provided by an authority during
  the preceding calendar year; and
               (3)  individuals who are not school district employees
  or school resource officers [educators] who completed a mental
  health first aid training program provided by an authority during
  the preceding calendar year.
         SECTION 9.  Section 263.152, Local Government Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  Disposal under Subsection (a)(3) may be accomplished
  through a recycling program under which the property is collected,
  separated, or processed and returned to use in the form of raw
  materials in the production of new products.
         SECTION 10.  (a) Subchapter E, Chapter 1054, Special
  District Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 1054.2025 to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 1054.2025.  GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION. (a) The
  district may issue general obligation bonds only if the bonds are
  authorized by a majority of the district voters voting at an
  election held for that purpose.
         (b)  The order calling the election shall provide for clerks
  as in county elections and must specify:
               (1)  the date of the election;
               (2)  the location of the polling places;
               (3)  the presiding and alternate election judges for
  each polling place;
               (4)  the amount of the bonds to be authorized;
               (5)  the maximum interest rate of the bonds; and
               (6)  the maximum maturity of the bonds.
         (c)  Notice of a bond election shall be given as provided by
  Section 1251.003, Government Code.
         (b)  Section 1054.2025, Special District Local Laws Code, as
  added by this section, applies only to general obligation bonds
  issued by the Lynn County Hospital District on or after the
  effective date of this section.
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this
  section takes effect immediately if this Act receives a vote of
  two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by
  Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not
  receive the vote necessary for this section to have immediate
  effect, this section takes effect September 1, 2015.
         SECTION 11.  Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 311.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 311.009.  COUNTY REQUEST FOR CLOSING OF ALLEY IN
  CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section applies only to a
  municipality with a population of more than 10,000 but less than
  25,000 that has land area of less than four square miles and is
  located wholly within a county that has a population of more than
  2.3 million and a total area of less than 1,000 square miles.
         (b)  If not otherwise restricted by a county, a municipality
  that receives a request for the abandonment of an alley located in
  any portion of the county shall, not later than the 30th day after
  the date the request was submitted, issue a final decision to grant
  or deny the request.
         (c)  A request for which a final decision is not issued in the
  period described by Subsection (b) is considered to be granted.
         (d)  A decision of the municipality under Subsection (b) may
  be appealed to a district or county court.
         SECTION 12.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.